The Leopard Man (1943) ***1/2

Much in the way that 1944's The Curse Of The Cat People (review) is less a "horror" film than a psychological drama, so is The Leopard Man (1943), producer Val Lewton's third and final collaboration with director Jacques Tourneur (and one of a whopping four B movies that Lewton cranked out for RKO in 1944). 

In TLM there's no on-screen violence at all and no supernatural element (despite what the gorgeous poster advertises). And despite recycling the "bus" jump scare from Lewton's first collaboration with Tourneur, 1942's Cat People (review) in a tunnel scene here (honestly just as good and just as scary), the filmmakers craft an engaging serial killer picture and make wonderful use of light, shadow, and sound (or lack thereof) to create dark, beautiful imagery and tension. 

TLM's economical 66-minute run time packs more character development and story into this lean little film than your average episode of premium channel television these days. As much as I enjoy an epic film now and again, I also love a movie like this—one that you can watch just about any time (though preferably at night, in the dark), and soak in the images and sound. This is one film that gets better with revisits.

Jacques Tourneur Feature Films Ranked

Val Lewton RKO Feature Films Ranked